Best New Mexican Restaurant
Our readers know New Mexican, so it’s a high honor to win this category. And just in case you need your chile fix before you leave town, or after you get back, Los Cuates is now at the Albuquerque Sunport.2) Sadie’s3) El Pinto
Best Green Chile Cheeseburger
A longtime favorite, the mighty green chile cheeseburger should be our official state belly-filler. Blake’s has the best version in 2012, say our readers. The chile is always hot enough, the patties thin and broad, the no-nonsense buns soft and flat, as they should be. Happily, this beauty is on a street corner near you.2) Holy Cow3) Owl Café
Best Red Chile Burger
Best Frito™ Pie
The Frito™ pie was first created by a Santa Fe woman working at a Woolworth’s lunch counter back in the ’60s. We like to think she’d be impressed by the version served up at Bob’s. Who knows, maybe she’s the cook?2) Blake’s Lotaburger3) Route 66 Malt Shop
Best Green Chile
Alibi readers know that Sadie’s green chile isn’t green (in color that is). It has more of a reddish tint. That doesn’t matter because it’s delicious. We wonder what the secret is.2) Frontier 3) Garcia’s
Best Red Chile
Food Channel personality Guy Fieri agrees with our readers that this Downtown hole-in-the-wall is something special, but we knew it first. Cecilia has been cooking since she was 5-years-old, and she knows how to make a mean pot of red chile. Order with care! Some days it’s downright nuclear.2) Mary & Tito’s3) Duran Central Pharmacy
Best Carne Adovada
Carne adovada with your eggs. Carne adovada inside your breakfast burrito. Carne adovada on your cinnamon roll (why not?). Frontier’s spicy winning recipe is likely good with anything.2) Monroe’s New Mexican Food3) Garcia’s
Best Tortillas
This can’t possibly surprise anyone, can it? The two restaurants sport those badass machines that shoot out flour tortillas, piping hot and crazy fresh. Good to eat and fun to watch.2) Garcia’s 3) Duran Central Pharmacy
Best Tamales
El Modelo has been rolling in masa since the 30s, so you can expect only the freshest, most flavorful tamales at this Albuquerque institution. Take home a dozen for yourself, or feed the whole neighborhood. 2) Cocina Azul3) Albuquerque Tortilla Company
Best Sopaipillas
Anyone who’s reading this likely knows a good sopaipilla when they see one—golden brown, ridiculously hot, soft enough to melt just a little bit in your mouth but strong enough to hold its shape and a slathering of honey / chile / everything. Now you also know where to find it.2) Sadie’s3) El Pinto
Best Enchiladas
Charlie’s enchiladas are Gangnam Style. In other words, they are cheeeeeesy. They’re also a reader favorite. The free margarita you get with them at dinner time just might have a little something to do with that.2) El Patio3) Mary & Tito’s
Best Chips And Salsa
Let’s put it this way: Jars of Sadie’s salsa fly off the shelves nationwide for a reason. Lucky you, you get to have it fresh with warm tortilla chips right before digging into an incredible Sadie’s dinner.2) Los Cuates 3) Los Compadres
Best Burrito
The burritos are so good that the drive-thru line at Golden Pride’s Lomas location eats up a lane of traffic on Sunday mornings. But risking your life is a small price to pay for one of the many burrito varieties offered here. And the staff always ushers you through the process expediently. Not too shabby for a fried chicken place.2) Twisters3) The Burrito Lady
Best Margarita
After the economic ups and downs of the last few years, it’s nice to know we can still get a good margarita at Garduño’s, even if there aren’t as many locations to choose from these days. The 44-ounce Margarita Grandisimo is a team effort, so share with friends. 2) Sadie’s3) El Pinto
